Spurlock cites varied background

Undersheriff says he's ready to lead

Tony Spurlock is a Colorado native and 17-year resident of Douglas County. He began his career at the Douglas County Sheriff's Office in 1980. Spurlock has served as undersheriff for the last eight years, leading a staff of more than 460 and overseeing all areas of operations and administration on behalf of current Sheriff Dave Weaver.

During his tenure, the sheriff's office earned the National Sheriffs' Association Triple Crown of Accreditation award - a level of accreditation only awarded to 46 other sheriff's offices since 1993.

Prior to his appointment as undersheriff, Spurlock commanded all major areas of the sheriff's office, including the investigation, detention and patrol divisions. Spurlock has also served as Douglas County's SWAT commander and as leader of the 18th Judicial District's Critical Response Team.

With the primary election scheduled for June 24, Colorado Community Media asked three identical questions of the two Republican candidates for sheriff.

Why are you seeking this office?

The people of Douglas County deserve the most qualified, experienced, knowledgeable candidate to serve as their sheriff, and I'm that candidate. My family and I love living in Douglas County. I want to continue serving the residents, businesses, and visitors in Douglas County so that they continue to feel safe and comfortable.

What makes you the best person for the job?

I am the most qualified candidate for the job. I am the only candidate that has commanded every division of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. I am the only candidate that has supervised 400-plus law enforcement employees and 200-plus civilians and volunteers. I am the only candidate with any experience managing and commanding emergency management, and I'm the candidate with the operational and administrative skills that will do the best job.

What do you believe is the most important issue in the eyes of the people you would serve if elected, and how would you approach this issue?

In my opinion, the most important issue in Douglas County is to maintain public safety at a superior standard. Douglas County citizens deserve the highest quality of service from law enforcement officers, civilian employees and our volunteers. I'm proud to say that I've been instrumental in developing some of the special task forces to ensure that our children and our elderly population are being protected. It is important to the people that the Douglas County Sheriff's Office is served by people that have actually done the job and have actual "hands-on" experience and knowledge to do the job.